Light emitting aerodynamic discs have been suggested in the past to enable disc throwing and catching during dusk and even nighttime hours. These have included phosphorous light emitting coatings for the disc and more frequently have included discs that have receptacles for removably mounting chemiluminescent tubes. These tubes are fairly standard in construction and contain a flexible outer tube and an inner frangible wall that separates the tube into two compartments, each containing one of the chemiluminescent compositions that when mixed emit light for four or more hours depending upon the volume and strength of the chemiluminescent compositions.
One drawback with the plastic discs that have compartments to hold the removable chemiluminescent tubes is that they affect the aerodynamics of the discs and because the discs frequently are abused by hitting fixed objects, such as trees and buildings, the chemiluminescent tubes are likely to fall out of the discs.
A more significant problem in these prior flying discs that carry light emitting devices is that they do not illuminate the entire disc as it spins, and while this is not particularly significant for purposes of throwing the disc, it does interfere with catching the disc because the catcher cannot determine the location of the outer rim of the disc which is usually utilized for catching, as well as for throwing purposes.
Another comment on these prior illuminatable discs is that they are far too complicated and costly for the flying disc market.
The following is a list of United States Patents resulting from a prior art search:
InventorPatent No.IssuedPeterson, et al.3,720,018Mar. 13, 1973Michael3,948,523Apr. 6, 1976Strawick4,086,723May 2, 1978Psyras4,132,031Jan. 2, 1979Miller, et al.4,135,324Jan. 23, 1979Sampietro4,145,839Mar. 27, 1979Boatman, et al.4,207,702Jun. 17, 1980Gould4,254,575Mar. 10, 1981Gudgel4,301,616Nov. 24, 1981Kutnyak4,431,196Feb. 14, 1984O'Riley4,607,850Aug. 26, 1986Riccardi, et al.5,348,509Sep. 20, 1994Stamos5,536,195Jul. 16, 1996Trichak5,882,239Mar. 16, 1999Chiang6,402,342Jun. 11, 2002Komuro6,554,093Apr. 8, 2003Patent Application PublicationPetersonPublication No. U.S. 2003/0162470Publication Date: Aug. 28, 2003
The Boatman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,702, shows a saucer-shaped toy that has a plurality of central clips 32 that hold a straight chemiluminescent light stick. In this design, the light stick can fall out of the disc and illuminates only a small central portion of the disc.
The Strawick, U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,723, shows a design similar to Boatman, et al.
The Gould, U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,575, shows an aerodynamic flying saucer with a chemiluminescent ring tube that when positioned in an annular ring, fits within the disc. This configuration, when the chemiluminescent tube is activated and the disc is thrown, illuminates only a small part of the perimeter of the disc so that the disc appears as a thin lighted ring.
The Stamos, U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,195 shows an illuminated flying disc having a flexible chemiluminescent tube threaded through apertures in the top of the disc.
The O'Riley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,850 shows a lighted sport disc having what appears to be a planar uninterrupted lower surface. The battery 20 is inserted from the top as seen in FIG. 7, which provides power to radially spaced lighting devices 14, which are diodes.
This patent states in column 4, “Since the light emitting diodes, the conductive pairs, the power source and associated electrical contacts are contained within the sport article itself, the inner surface contours of the article are not altered and thus do not effect the flight characteristics nor the ability of the recipient to grasp or feel the tossed sport article.” Thus, this patent is relevant to that extent. The difference is that O'Riley does not support the four radial chemiluminescent devices on the top surface of the disc and does not suggest that the disc be translucent.
The Psyras, U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,031 and the Michael, U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,523, show battery powered lights in rotating discs, but in both there are elements that protrude downwardly below the lower surface of the discs.
The Peterson publication, US2003/0162470 A1 shows a disc having arcuate lighting elements snapped into the rim of the disc, which do not appear to affect flight aerodynamics. This device, however, appears to require custom tooling for the light 6.
The Chiang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,342, shows a battery powered lighting system for an aerodynamic disc that does not appear to protrude down into the cavity. However, the device is very complicated and requires clamshelling two disc parts together.
It is a primary object of the present invention to ameliorate the problems noted above in flying aerodynamic discs having chemiluminescent means for illuminating the disc.